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Five farmers in northwest China's Shaanxi Province have each received a cash prize of 20,000 yuan (about 2,410 US dollars) for having protected an archeologically important cellar.

Archeologists later excavated 27 bronze articles dating from the late Western Zhou Dynasty (1046 to 771 B.C.) from the cellar the farmers stumbled upon on Jan. 19 this year while getting earth for a nearby brick kiln.

As the well-preserved bronzes feature lengthy inscriptions and outclass previous similar finds in both size and number, experts believe they will shed valuable light on China's lesser-known history from the Xia Dynasty (2070 to 1600 B.C.) to the Zhou Dynasty (1046-221 B.C.).

After the approval of China's State Bureau of Cultural Relics and the Shaanxi Provincial government, the Shaanxi Cultural Relics Bureau and the governments of Baoji City and Meixian County decided to jointly reward the farmers from Yangjia Village in Meixian County.

They are Wang Ningxian, Wang Mingsuo, Wang Laqian, Wang Qinningand Zhang Qinhui.

The finds sparked an intensive survey currently underway around the periphery of the cellar. Archeologists believe more valuable finds are likely.